A netizen named Xiao Bao shared a reflection from a long-time friend concerning the homosexual issues following a significant defeat in the recent referendums. I believe this content offers necessary clarification for those who might blame the entire Christian faith due to the actions of specific anti-LGBTQ+ organizations. It is specially archived here.
The Heart of a Christian Gay Man
“Xiao Bao, I have something I want to say, and I’d like to use your Facebook to say it. If you are willing, please help me post this. Thank you.”
The Republic of China (R.O.C.) has finally concluded its longest election featuring the most referendum cases in history. In the end, there are no true winners in this battle; the results inevitably bring joy to some and sorrow to others. Regardless of the outcome, both sides are family and friends to one another—inseparable parts of the same whole. Any harm done is harm to our own.
I am a second-generation Christian. Therefore, I agree with the Biblical definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. Even though I am a gay man, before God, this is a fact and an unchanging truth—a principle I uphold. “Truth” is eternal; it does not shift with trends or environments. That is the true value and meaning of truth.
I am a gay man living with HIV (Poz). In my church, no one has ever rebuked or discriminated against me for my identity. My brothers and sisters understand and accept my presence. The misguided notion of “I love you, but you can’t get married” often stems from a misunderstanding of Christian doctrine by those outside the faith. I can only express regret regarding this; I do not blame them, nor do I need to explain, for Jesus’s salvation is not something that can be understood through common logic—it must be experienced personally.
The only thing I want to say is that, holding these two identities, I became the most pained person in this referendum battle. Both sides are my family and my friends. What should I do? I can only look up to Jesus on the cross, seeing Him sacrifice Himself for me, giving my life hope, and allowing me to stop focusing on my own limitations. Victims will not always be victims, but misunderstanding and hatred will surely prolong their suffering.
The “Love Your Family” referendum and the “Coalition for the Happiness of Our Next Generation” were indeed initiated by the Christian community. However, the church has not aligned itself with any political party; the Christian vote has never been a primary focus for political factions. Thus, the church pushed forward without political resources, simply because we Christians hope everyone understands the origin of marriage and values the beauty of the family. We hope everyone can correctly and kindly treat different groups. The “Yes” votes were gathered by brothers and sisters from the church going into wet markets and street alleys to explain their stance.
When there was confrontation, we chose to withdraw. When there was anger and verbal abuse, we chose not to explain or defend, for these encounters are nothing compared to the suffering of Jesus being nailed to the cross. This is the challenge Christians of this era must face. We cannot stop the tides of time, but we will not avoid or retreat from issues that diverge from Biblical truth, because truth is worth defending. Yet, I also believe that Jesus’s love for the world never changes.
If you ask me how Christians differ from the rest of the world, I would answer that in God’s eyes, there is no difference—we are all sinners. Christians are simply sinners who have received grace, while the rest of the world are sinners in need of Jesus’s redeeming grace.